To determine the right investment mix for you, it is important to mentally separate your investments into short, medium and long term categories. The financial planning process we go through usually gives us a good understanding of your needs based on these categories.

 

In general, short term means you may need to use the funds in less than three years, medium term in three to ten years, and long term funds are those you will not need to access for at least ten years.

 

Once we know the purpose and time frame of your investment needs, we can begin choosing the appropriate investments. We carefully assess costs, risks, and tax consequences before making recommendations. We are also responsible for reporting results and implementing changes.

Reducing Costs

When it comes to choosing investments there are plenty of alternatives. We have looked at all the alternatives, and prefer to choose the simplest, most cost effective way to build your portfolio. This means we steer clear of individual stocks, and instead choose efficient, passive mutual funds, and where appropriate, other low cost solutions that offer ways to reduce risk. Learn more.

 

 

Reducing Risk

The level of risk associated with your investment mix is determined by the amount of time until the funds are needed, the current economic and investment environment, and your comfort level with risk.

 

Reducing Taxes

Your tax situation is also considered, and we will explain to you how and why certain investment choices, or placing the right investments in the right types of accounts, can help minimize the amount of tax you pay.

 

Reporting Results

We send quarterly reports that provide details on how your investments are performing and we make sure you understand how to read these reports.

 

Recommending Changes

As your needs change, and as the economic environment changes, your financial advisor will recommend corresponding changes to your investments. An annual assessment is most effective as it is not cost effective, nor does it improve results, to move things around frequently.